Build catalogue
Christopher Trace's 1974.5 TR6 Ford 302 V8 conversion
britishv8.orgas published in British V8 Newsletter, Volume XI Issue 3, September 2003
Photo: britishv8.orgA 1974.5 Triumph TR6 rebuilt with a Ford 302 V8
Christopher Trace converted his 1974.5 TR6 to Ford 302 V8 power, rebuilding the engine, drivetrain, suspension, brakes and interior along the way. The write-up is a detailed spec sheet covering nearly every system on the car, useful as a reference for anyone planning a similar swap.
Parts used
What the owner names in the write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.
Shop suggestions are being prepared. The owner's parts list is available below.
Engine 3
- Ford 302 engine bored to 310ciFord
Fully rebuilt with aluminum high-compression pistons and chrome-moly rings
- Crane towing-grind camshaftCrane
Mild cam used for the rebuild
- Heavy duty oil pump and shaft
Fitted to help prolong engine life
Fuel & Ignition 3
- Holley 600cfm four barrel carburetorHolley
Mounted on the intake manifold with a side draft air cleaner
- Edelbrock Torquer II intake manifoldEdelbrock
Carries the Holley carburetor
- Accel distributorAccel
Feeds electronic ignition system and high output coil
Cooling 3
- Stewart Stage 1 water pumpStewart
Circulates coolant through the cooling system
- Griffin cross-flow radiatorGriffin
Cools the engine coolant
- 16 inch electric cooling fan
Pusher configuration with a shroud to direct airflow
Gearbox & Drivetrain 5
- Borg-Warner T5 World Class 5-speed gearboxBorg-Warner
Fitted with a Hurst shifter
- Hurst shifterHurst
Used with the T5 gearbox
- Centerforce dual-friction clutchCenterforce
Actuated by hydraulic throw-out bearing
- Tilton hydraulic throw-out bearingTilton
Actuates the clutch
- Custom 2 1/2 inch driveshaft
Sends power to the rear axle
Suspension & Steering 4
- KYB front shocksKYB
Fitted with new springs and polyurethane bushings
- Front sway bar
New sway bar fitted
- Rear tube shock conversion
Replaced original lever action shocks
- Rear sway bar
Fitted with new springs and polyurethane bushings
Brakes 4
- Toyota 4-pot front calipersToyota
Used in the new front brake setup
- Sunbeam Alpine 7/8 inch rear wheel cylindersSunbeam
Used for rear brakes
- Braided stainless steel brake lines
Used for flex-lines in new brake system
- Silicone DOT5 brake fluid
Used throughout the new brake system
Wheels & Tyres 2
- Panasport 15x6 aluminum wheelsPanasport
Fitted with Pirelli tires
- Pirelli P6000 Sport Veloce 215/65R15 tiresPirelli
Mounted on the Panasport wheels
Body & Trim 1
- Sikkens Rio Red acrylic urethane paintSikkens
Six coats applied to the body
Interior 3
- Rebuilt seats with leather covers
New foam and diaphragms with leather covers
- Alpine stereo systemAlpine
Added to the interior
- Re-veneered dashboard
Dash refinished with new veneer
Electrical 2
- GM alternatorGM
Replaced the original Lucas unit
- Halogen headlamps
Replaced original headlamps
Other 2
- Sanderson street rod headersSanderson
Ceramic coated, feed a custom stainless exhaust system
- Rebuilt IRS differential
Retained stock unit, rebuilt and mounted on polyurethane bushings with reinforced brackets
Photos
All 13 pictures in the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from britishv8.org. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
How it was done
Engine build
The Ford 302 was bored out to 310ci and fully rebuilt with aluminum high-compression pistons and 1/16 inch chrome-moly rings. A mild Crane towing-grind cam was fitted, and a heavy duty oil pump and shaft were added to help engine longevity.
Intake and ignition
A Holley 600cfm four barrel carburetor was mounted on an Edelbrock Torquer II manifold, breathing through a side draft air cleaner with a heat shield between carb and manifold. An Accel distributor feeds an electronic ignition system and high output coil.
Drivetrain
Power runs through a Borg-Warner T5 World Class five-speed with a Hurst shifter. A Centerforce dual-friction clutch is worked by a Tilton hydraulic throw-out bearing, and drive goes rearward through a custom made 2 1/2 inch driveshaft.
Cooling and exhaust
A Stewart Stage 1 water pump pushes coolant through a Griffin cross-flow radiator, cooled by a 16 inch electric pusher fan with a shroud to force air through the core. Ceramic coated Sanderson street rod headers feed a custom stainless steel exhaust.
Rear axle and suspension
The stock IRS differential was rebuilt along with the rear hubs and all new U-joints, then remounted on polyurethane bushings with reinforced brackets. Front suspension got KYB shocks, new springs, polyurethane bushings and a new sway bar; the rear swapped its lever shocks for a tube shock conversion with new springs, bushings and a sway bar.
Brakes and wheels
The whole brake system was renewed, including master cylinder, wheel cylinders, lines, pads, discs and drums, with braided stainless flex-lines and silicone DOT5 fluid. Toyota four-pot calipers were fitted up front with 7/8 inch Sunbeam Alpine rear wheel cylinders, rolling on Panasport 15x6 wheels wrapped in Pirelli P6000 tires.
Interior, body and electrical
Seats were rebuilt with new foam, diaphragms and leather covers, and new carpet with double underlay and heat shield went in along with a re-veneered dash, an Alpine stereo, fresh air footwell ducts and a new top. The body received six coats of Sikkens Rio Red acrylic urethane paint, and electrically a GM alternator replaced the Lucas unit, wiring bullets were renewed and halogen headlamps fitted.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is the owner's: read it at britishv8.org ↗
Worth knowing
- Rebuilding the stock IRS differential and hubs with polyurethane bushings and reinforced mounts pays off after a V8 swap.
- A cross-flow radiator with a shrouded pusher fan and upgraded water pump helps manage V8 cooling in a small engine bay.
- Upgrading brakes fully, including calipers, lines and fluid, matters when adding V8 power to a TR6 chassis.
- Sourcing brake parts from other cars, like Toyota calipers and Sunbeam Alpine cylinders, can solve fitment problems.
- Replacing the alternator and rewiring bullet connectors addresses the shortcomings of the original Lucas electrics.